Sustainability reporting for companies
EU obliges companies to provide proof of sustainability
ESG criteria (environmental, social and governance criteria) are used to assess the social and environmental impact of investments. Under the European Taxonomy Regulation, economic activities are categorised in terms of their environmental impact. In future, the CSRD Directive (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (EU) 2022/2464) will oblige a large number of companies to publish their social and environmental activities in a sustainability report. The CSRD Directive aims to ensure that companies provide reliable and comparable sustainability information that stakeholders need to assess the company's non-financial performance. This not only affects large companies, but many SMEs are also indirectly affected if their customers have to provide evidence of life cycle assessments of their supply chains.
EPD provides transparent and environmentally relevant product information
Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) provide reliable and fact-based information on the sustainability of a product. They are based on the life cycle assessment method in accordance with ISO 14040/44 and the more specific standards ISO 14025 and EN 15804 and therefore form a sound basis for transparent communication of the environmental impact to all stakeholders.
The EPD summarises all the energy and environmental impacts of a product, such as the consumption of primary energy and raw materials or the effects of transport and the possibilities of repair and recycling. Each step is verified by independent auditors and experts. The environmental impact is documented on the basis of life cycle assessments not only over the period in which the product is used, but over the entire value chain of the product.
The EPD of the GLT TUBE - an important component for assessing the sustainability of a building
The GLT TUBE from German LED Tech was the first LED light source to be assessed with an EPD. This was done in close cooperation with the Fraunhofer IBP and the Institut für Bauen und Umwelt e.V., the largest holder of EPDs in Germany. As a construction and maintenance product, the life cycle assessment of the GLT TUBE is an important building block for certifying the sustainability of buildings.
To date, EPDs have been particularly important in the construction industry. EPDs are increasingly being found in various sectors and can be viewed on the websites of the Institut Bauen und Umwelt e.V.Institut Bauen und Umwelt e.V. and ECO-PlatformECO-Platform.
* CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (EU) 2022/2464
* EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) nach ISO 14025 und EN 15804